Gas-engine ignition



G.'I MEYER.

GAS ENGINE IGNITION. APPLICATION FIL'ED MAR. I2, 1918.

1 ,349,846 Patented Aug. 17, 1920.

when the exhaust valve is opened said plunger is lifted against the pressure of its spring to keep the passageway 24 open during the exhaust stroke of the pistons 11 and 21 whereby the exhaust gases from the priming cylinder are discharged through the open exhaust valve 16 along with the exhaust gas from the working cylinder.

While the invention has been described as pertaining to a four-cycle engine, it is equally suitable for use with a two-cycle engine and the priming explosion may be produced under conditions resembling those of a two-cycle engine or a four-cycle engine, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. With the working cylinder operating on the two-cycle plan, two of the priming cylinders operating on the fourcycle plan may be employed so as to produce ignition for each working stroke of the piston in a working cylinder. The control of the timing of ignition in the working cylinder may be effected by the control of the timing of the explosion in the priming cylinder, and such timing adjustment may be made with compensating adjustment in the position of the cam or eccentric 23 withreof the working 0 linder may be in a difierent relative position either before reaching or after leaving its uppermost position according to whether it is desired to advance or retard ignition.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not limited to any specific form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

The invention is not limited to the use of different fuels in the two cylinders, for the same fuel may be used and this may be a light fuel or a heavy fuel, and may be introduced through a chrbureter or otherwise thou h the invention is particularly desirable or use with heavy fuel in the working cylinder and a light fuel in the priming cylinder.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gas engine, the combination of a priming explosion chamber having a-valve controlled inlet distinct from the combustion chamber and a valve controlled outlet communicating with the explosion chamber of the gas engine, and electrical ignition means for producing an explosion in said priming explosion chamber.

2. The combination, with a gas engine and its combustion chamber provided with means for supplying a charge of combustible mixture thereto, of a prlming chamber havin a valve controlled inlet distinct from sai combustion chamber and a valve controlled outlet in communication with the combust n municatiom means for supplying a charge of fuel to the combustion chamber, means for supplying another charge of fuel to the priming chamber, means for subjecting the priming chamber to compression when said valve is closed, and electrical means for igniting the compressed charge of fuel in the priming chamber to cause the flaming gases in said priming chamber to ignite the fuel in the combustion chamber on the establishment of communication between said chambers on the opening of the valve.

4. The combination, with a gas engine and its combustion. chamber, of a priming chamber having. communication with the combustion chamber, means for supplying a charge of less volatile fuel to the combustion chamber, means for supplyin a charge of more volatile fuel to the priming chamber, means for compressing the charge of fuel within the priming chamber, electrical .means for igniting the compressed charge of fuel in the priming chamber, and an intermittently movable valve controlling the passage of the flaming gases from the priming chamber to the combustion chamber.

5. The combination, with a gas engine and its combustion chamber, of a priming chamher for containing an explosive charge of fuel distinct from that of the combustion chamber and having communication with the combustion chamber, electrical means for igniting the fuel in the priming chamher, and valve means shutting ofi communication between said chambers but yielding under the pressure of the explosion in the priming chamber for es'tablishin communication between the priming cham er and the explosion chamber.

6. In a gas engine, the combination of a power cylinder and a priming cylinder having valve communication therewith, a piston working in the power cylinder, a plunger working in the priming cylinder, means for supplying fuel to the power cylinder, means for separately supplying fuel to the priming cylinder, electrical means for igniting the fuel in the riming cylinder, and a valve shutting 0 said cylinders and yielding under the pressure of the explosion in the priming cylinder to establish communication between said cylinders.

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communication between eann-ace valve for the power cylinder, a primingcylinder, a plunger working therein, a valve-controlled fuel-introducing means for the priming cylinder, a spark plug for the priming cylinder, there being a passageway between the priming cylinder andthe power cylinder, and a spring-seated valve closing said passageway and yielding under the force of explosion in the priming cylinderto open the passageway, said valve having connection with the exhaust valve and adapted to be opened therewith.

8. The method of producing ignition of a compressed charge of heavier fuel in the explosion chamber of a gas'engine which consists in proq iucing an explosion of an isolateol charge of lighter fuel a priming chamber and communicating the burning v.. -gases of such explosion to the explosion chamber containing a less volatile fuel.

9. The combination, with a gas engine and its combustion chamber provided with an inlet and an exhaust valve, of a priming explosion chamber having a valve controlled inlet distinct from the combustion chamber and an outlet communicating with said combustion chamber, a valve controlling said outlet and opened by the pressure of explosion and on the opening of the exhaust valve for the combustion chamber, and means for producing an explosion in said priming explosion chamber.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE L. MEYER.

Witnesses:

A. D. DAVIS, Hnnnnnr BASBMAN. 

